ARLINGTON - Registered nurses who want to move into nursing management have a new online preparation option through The University of Texas at Arlington College of Nursing, one of the nation's largest and best-ranked nursing schools.

Applications for the first cohort in the new Master's of Science in Nursing Administration program are due Feb. 15, with classes beginning March 1. The Academic Partnership program, delivered on a state-of-the-science distance education platform, allows graduate nursing students to earn a master's degree in 18 months on a flexible schedule geared toward the working professional.

Content is delivered through a blended learning model that includes technology-enhanced courses with clinical experiences supervised by UT Arlington faculty at partner hospitals across Texas. The master's program incorporates contemporary management theory using the Essentials of Master's Education guidelines established by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing.

Graduates gain the advanced knowledge and skills needed to excel in leadership and management roles in the ever-changing healthcare environment.

UT Arlington's MSN/Nursing Administration program is the College of Nursing's third Academic Partnership offering. Registered nurses may earn their bachelor's of science in nursing through a similar partnership. UT Arlington began offering an option for students to enroll in a prelicensure BSN degree program through the partnership early this year.

"The Academic Partnership model has been so successful in our RN to BSN program that our hospital partners have asked for the model to be used to teach our graduate programs," said Elizabeth Poster, dean of the UT Arlington College of Nursing. "This model has met the needs of many nurses who prefer the flexibility of time and yet want a first-rate education."

MSN Academic Partnership applicants must hold a BSN from a program accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission or the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. For more information, call 1-866-489-2810 or visit http://stateu.com/uta/nur_msn.asp.

ABOUT UT ARLINGTON

The University of Texas at Arlington, which is classified as a Carnegie Research University/High Activity, has an overall enrollment of more than 28,000 in more than 180 degree programs and is on a path toward becoming a nationally recognized, Tier One institution. Learn more about UT Arlington at www.uta.edu

The University of Texas at Arlington College of Nursing has been ranked by U.S. News & World Report as one of the "100 Best Graduate Nursing Schools in America in 2010." It is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) and has one of the highest graduation rates and licensure rates in Texas, with 95 percent of graduates passing the National Council Licensure Examination on their first attempt; more than 98 percent of UT Arlington MSN/Nurse Practitioner graduates pass national certification exams annually. The College of Nursing has a 40-year history of providing cutting edge distance education options for students in their undergraduate and graduate programs.